Dark Side of the Moon
by Suburban Wulf
Summary: "What if I told you that everything you thought you know about Man in the Moon was a lie? What if I told you that the only reason he made you was so he could destroy you, and the rest of this world?" Rating may go up in further chapters.
1. The Gathering

So, completely forgot about putting this in when I first posted the story. Yes, I am working on a new story. This one is currently moving faster in my head than Rise of Mephiles, so it's likely that this one will update more often, but the chapters will be a bit shorter on average. So, I now present; Dark Side of the Moon!

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One year. It had been a year since the winter spirit Jack Frost had helped the Guardians of Childhood defeat Pitch Black, the boogeyman. Afterwards, he'd been officially named a Guardian; the Guardian of Fun, to be exact. The number of his believers had been growing since that night, slowly, but steadily, since then. Jamie and his friends had been spreading the word as best they could to other kids, with kept Jack busy with plenty of work to do, helping to prove their words. Of course, his work could never really be called "work," as it involved creating plenty of memorable snow days and starting massive snowball fights.

It certainly had helped ease the loneliness that had been hanging over Jack's head for the past three centuries, though finding a family in the Guardians had also helped. There were times that he would stay in a room North had prepared for him at the workshop. Other times, he would simply let the winds carry him to wherever, bringing the snow with him.

Colors shimmering across the night sky caught his attention. While most occurrences of the Northern Lights were natural, these were different. They were magical. That was because these radiated in all directions from a spire at North's workshop, activated when the Guardians were needed for a task. The last major event that had caused the lights to be activated was when Pitch had attempted to overthrow and destroy the Guardians. Now, Jack had to wonder what the new case was. Throwing one final blanket of snow on the ground, the pale, wiry teen called out to the wind. "Take me to the North Pole!"

...

'You sure lucked out on your timing, mate." The large grey rabbit commented as he defrosted himself near the fire that North always made sure to have going whenever a meeting was called. E. Aster Bunnymund, or Bunny, had put the final touches on his eggs for the day moments before the lights had been activated. Easter was still weeks off, but Bunny was aiming to both make up for the previous Easter, which had been spoiled by Pitch, and make sure he wouldn't have a repeat occurrence by making sure that he had a stockpile that he could work with before the sun rose on Easter.

North let out a small chuckle, shaking his head. "You worry too much, my friend." The large, bearded Russian commented. "Pitch is gone. He will not bother us for some time."

A green and blue-feathered fairy flitted about nervously at North's words. "I really hope so…" Tooth whispered, putting a reassuring hand over Baby Tooth, one of her small, helper fairies. Her eyes glanced over to the one who had requested the meeting.

Golden, and appearing to be made almost entirely out of sand, was Sandman, or Sandy. While already known to be the quiet one of the group, he seemed, if was possible, to be quieter than usual. He floated around slowly, though there seemed to be an air of nervousness about him.

A cold gust of wind finding its way into the workshop through an opening in the roof, which Bunny protested loudly about, announced Jack's arrival. The pale teen swung down from the rafters before dropping the last several feet, prompting a playfully muttered "show-off" from Bunny. "So, what's the party about this time?" He asked with a small smirk. "Q start a mad love rampage with Valentine's Day right around the corner?" Q, otherwise known as Cupid, was nothing like the sweet, diaper-wearing cherub that most people imagined. Q was tall, and tended to be intimidating-looking, though he was a pretty decent guy in actuality, as much as Bunny might say differently.

Much like how Jack and Bunny had been at odds over the Easter Blizzard of '68, with Bunny holding the grudge, Q and Bunny also had a long-standing disagreement. It has started before Bunny had become a Guardian, and was still figuring out how to handle Easter. One year, he'd started Easter far too early, and Easter and Valentine's day had collided with near-disastrous results. Q and Bunny had yet to get to the point where they could be left alone with each other in the same room without trying to kill each other; they could barely stand just being in the same room as the other, mostly because of Bunny.

"I was not one to call meeting, Jack." North replied to the winter spirit. "At least, not one who decided to call meeting." The Guardian of Wonder gestured to Sandman. "Sandy asked for me to call meeting.'

At his name, Sandy floated closer to the group, worry etching small lines across his face. "Sandy said that he had worrying dream. He wished to speak to us about it."

Bunny grimaced. "So, you're telling me that you dragged all of us out here because the dreamer had a nightmare?"

The rabbit's words made Sandy shoot Bunny a dark look as he shook his head. Golden sand swirled above Sandy's head, forming a small, golden Pitch.

"You had a dream about Pitch?" Tooth's words made the other small fairies who had come with her huddle close to her, remembering well what had occurred the last time Pitch had showed up. "Is he getting ready to return already? I thought it would take much longer than a year, considering how long it took from when we faced him in the Dark Ages."

North stepped in before Jack and Bunny could add questions in, a solution in hand. "Sandy has decided to show us, which should answer all questions. I see confusion on your face, Jack. When Sandy focuses power, he can control dream person has. He does not do it often, as he likes children to have influence on dreams they have. This, however, is special case. Come! Let us get comfy for some sleeping!"

The five Guardians moved to a different room in the workshop, where a number of beds were laid out. As Sandy readied four small balls of dream sand, the other four picked their beds, Tooth's fairies huddling close, and settled in. "Ready when you are, Sandy." North affirmed to the Guardian of Dreams, who nodded back in response, before lightly tossing each of the balls at the other Guardians, putting them to sleep. As they started to fall into their dreams, Sandy pulled a line of dream sand from the shapes floating over the sleeping forms, carefully weaving the strands together. Once they were securely woven, he began concentrating on the dream that he'd had the night before, pushing the memory of it into the merged dreams. His focus shifted entirely to maintaining the structure and flow of the dream, letting his fellow Guardians see what had occurred.

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Get used to small cliffhangers. I am loving them for chapter endings.

Reviews are very much appreciated. They help me know how I'm doing with the story.


	2. The Dreams

And another chapter is up! If all goes well, I should be able to keep to a Friday update schedule. Key words there are "if all goes well." I will do my best, however. This story seems to be rolling out pretty quickly. At this rate, I'll have a nice buffer.

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It was Jack's first time being in one of Sandy's dreams, and he was finding the layout quite odd. "There's nothing." He commented, his voice feeling tiny in the vast, endless darkness. "It's so empty." He'd thought, considering whose dream it was, that there would be every sort of fun and imaginative thing possible. Anything, actually, instead of this vast, lacking of everything.

"To you, maybe that's all it is." North laughed. "To Sandy, it is a blank canvas, upon which he can create anything that he can imagine. He creates when he dreams, and sends what he creates to children everywhere. See?" The large man motioned to a golden figure a small distance away, who was tinkering with different shapes made out of dream sand. "It looks like dream is starting."

North's words went unheard by dream Sandy, the oldest Guardian working on the beginnings of new dreams with his sand, as he did every night. Suddenly, as though sensing something, he stopped what he was doing. Sand whips forming in his hands, he turned to the right abruptly. There, just barely visible in the distance, was a figure; one that was all too familiar to the Guardians.

Pitch Black.

Without thinking, the four observing Guardians all readied themselves for a fight, forgetting for the moment that they were only watching a memory of what had occurred already.

"Please, Sandy." Pitch started, remaining where he was. His hands were held up in a non-aggressive manner, and the tone of his voice was not the usual taunting or harsh tone. "I don't know exactly how much time I have to speak with you, or when I'll get another chance, and I don't want to waste it fighting with you." He waited for any sort of response from the Dream Guardian. When Sandman didn't attack, Pitch decided that it was enough of a sign to continue. "I know that what I have to say will likely sound unbelievable to you, but I beg that you at least consider it; Man in the Moon is evil."

The attack came so fast that the observing Guardians almost didn't see it. Dream Sandy, obviously more than a little upset, had lashed out at Pitch with one of his sand whips, throwing the Nightmare King across the small patch of "dreamscape" that they were in.

As Dream Sandy prepared to attack again, Pitch attempted to scramble backwards, away from Sandy's reach. "Wait! Just remember, for a moment, the feel of the energy that was there when you were first created! It was a small difference, but it was there. That feeling wasn't Man in the Moon, Sandman. It was his sister, Lady Luna!"

The name seemed to make the golden Guardian pause just as he was about to swing, and he tilted his head a bit as he glared at Pitch. The meaning was obvious.

"Plague told me." Was Pitch's response. "A long time ago, before he willingly sealed himself away, which I'm sure is a different story than what you've been led to believe." He remained where Sandy had thrown him, moving only to sit up. "I know that what happened last year doesn't exactly make me seem trustworthy, but you must believe me! What I did, I never would have done willingly were I in my right state of mind…"

The last words were spoken quietly, Pitch's head inclining down, allowing him to glance at his form, which was slowly beginning to fade away. "My time is up. Please, Sandy, you must believe me, for the sake of everyone in the world; adults and children. Be careful how you tell the others. Man in the Moon is always watching every one of you. The only safe places are-"

Whatever Pitch was going to say was cut off as he disappeared completely from the dream, leaving Sandy as the sole occupant once more.

...

The dream completed, Sandy began separating the weaves of the dream sand as he let his control over the dream slip away, allowing the strands to flow back to each of the other Guardians so that he could begin waking them up. As he began to remove Jack's sand from the weave, however, the thread snapped, the portion in the weave crumbling apart as the rest of it was slung back into Jack's dream shapes. The small golden snowflakes shifted color slightly, their golden luster dimming as small splotches of black appeared, though they did not spread. Reaching out carefully, Sandy touched one of the snowflakes gently to peer into Jack's current dream, wanting to check in on the youngest Guardian to make sure he was okay before trying to wake him up. When he made contact with one of the snowflakes, he could see the Guardian of Fun was standing in a snowy landscape, speaking with someone. While Sandy couldn't clearly see who it was, he was able to see enough of the other figure to feel confident guessing that they were Pitch. While not completely worried about the boogeyman appearing in Jack's dream, as he had already been in Sandy's, he still decided that it would be best for him to keep an eye on the dream while the others woke up.

"Alright…" Bunny, the first one to awaken, sat up and rubbed at his face a bit, clearing the remaining dream sand from his eyes. "That was definitely a bit out there, and a bit hard to swallow at that." By the tone in the rabbit's voice more than the words he'd said, Sandy could tell that the Guardian of Hope trusted Pitch's words very little. It was understandable, though. They'd fought with Pitch numerous times, and those fights had shown that Pitch was more than just a little untrustworthy and unstable.

North and Tooth woke up not too long after Bunny, Tooth glancing over to Jack's still-sleeping form with concern on her face.

"Shouldn't Jack be starting to wake up as well?" She asked, lifting off her bed to hover near Jack's. "Is there something wrong?"

Sandy shook his head, a small golden clock forming above his head.

"Alright, Sandy." The Guardian of Wonder nodded. "We'll give him some time. But, not too much time. We have much to discuss, and we need Jack here so that he does not miss out."

...

The herald of winter kept a firm grip on his staff as he watched the figure across from him. Though he knew that he was still in a dream, one he recognized as his own, he could not help but tense up. "What are you trying to achieve, Pitch?"

"I'm trying to uphold an oath that I made when I was still alive, and of sane mind, Jack." The black and grey boogeyman paced slowly, keeping a respectful distance from Jack. "An oath that I have been breaking almost constantly since Man in the Moon turned me into this." His arms swept out as he indicated himself, then he let out a sigh. "I am sorry, Jack. For everything I've done to you, and to the other Guardians. I hope that this time I can be of help, instead of another enemy to fight."

Jack frowned as he listened to Pitch's words, taking them in carefully. "When you were speaking to Sandy last night in his dream, you were about to say something, but you disappeared before you could say it. What was it?"

Pitch nodded. "I'd woken up at that point. You see, there are two kinds of places where you don't have to worry about Man in the Moon watching or listening to you. The first is here, in a dream. They're not part of his realm, and he can't enter them. The second one is wherever the moonlight doesn't reach you, like in the Warren. Anywhere underground works, if there's no direct opening to the sky." He stopped his pacing, facing Jack, a serious look in his face. "There's something else that I need to tell you." His golden eyes locked with Jack's vivid blue ones. "Someone who you will need to find in order for all of you to succeed with what is to come…"

...

Five minutes after Sandy had woken up three of the four sleeping Guardians, the snowflakes around Jack's head began to dissolve as the pale teen woke up.

"You're awake!" Tooth exclaimed, moving over to Jack's side as he sat up. Watching her, Jack could not help but compare her to a worried mother hovering over her child. "What happened?"

"Long story." Jack replied, standing as he grabbed his staff. "I'll explain later. North, you might want to get the sleigh ready, because right now, we need to find someone."

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Like it? Love it? Other? Let me know! Reviews are nice for a hungry author!


	3. The Angel

Sorry for the delay! I ended up working all week and into the weekend, and I was so drained come Friday that I just could not focus on the story. With the extra time on my hands right now, I'm going to start on the next chapter so that it's on its way to being done before posting-time.

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The town was busy with people going about in every which way to do their work, or their shopping, or whatever they were attempting to do for the day. Shoppers, sellers, and even the occasional artists were slowly becoming more and more frantic as the clock ticked closer and closer to Valentine's Day. People were busy preparing something special for their loved one, whether it was their spouse, significant other, crush, or child.

It was this atmosphere that had brought Q out to the town. Somewhere, wandering the streets, looking for a gift, was a young man with quite the crush. He was a shy boy, which made it difficult for him to attempt to move it all forward on his own. So, Q was here to help, though the boy did not know it.

The target of the crush was a mysterious girl who, as far as Q could tell, had suddenly shown up out of seemingly nowhere a couple weeks ago. The bringer of love didn't quite know where she'd come from, or what she did, but neither of these things were particularly high on his list of concerns. Right now, he had a job to do, and that was to try to turn this one-sided crush into something more.

Crossbow in hand, he found a perch from which he would have the best shot at his intended target. As he crouched on the rooftop, his long coat flared behind him, picking up every so often with the wind, which tussled his short, blonde hair. His crossbow came up as his eyes focused on his mark; a young woman with long, shining auburn hair, and golden-brown eyes. He could see how the poor lad could get tongue-tied with just the thought of trying to speak to her.

A bolt was drawn out of one of his two quivers, looking quite small and pitiful, until it was fitted into the crossbow and resumed its full size. He pulled the bolt to the required tension, and brought it up to a firing position. Then, he waited. He kept completely still as he watched his target, waiting until she remained still long enough for him to focus in on her location. That was when he pulled the trigger, and sent the bolt flying.

Most humans believed that Cupid's "love arrows" create love instantly. That was far from the truth, as it would be a severe breach of the free will that was one of the greatest gifts to humans. Instead, his arrows opened up a person's mind to the one crushing on them, or gave them the small push that might be needed to say something to the one they were crushing on. Sometimes, he'd give current lovers a shot to help try to rekindle a small flame of passion. The bolt would feel like a small sting for a moment, and then it would disappear as its magic got to work.

At least, that's what would normally happen.

What happened this time caught Q by complete surprise. Not only did the bolt simply bounce off the woman with absolutely no effect, but she turned with a start when the bolt hit her. Her eyes searched for a few moments before landing on a stunned Q, still sitting at his perch on the rooftop. He could tell that she was looking directly at him, and knew that he was there, as she was making full eye contact with him from street level.

"Well, this is certainly new…"

...

"This is just great…" With there being a big rush to find the person Pitch had told Jack they would need the help of, North had decided, much to Bunny's dismay, that they would take his sleigh to get close, as well as to scope things out. "Are you sure this is the right place?"

Jack laughed a bit, knowing how much Bunny disliked flying. "I'm sure it's the right place, Bunny. What makes you think otherwise?"

"Your laugh." Bunny replied, which made Jack laugh again.

"Come on, Bunny. I'm not that mean."

It was Sandy, sitting between Jack and Bunny, who noticed the approaching figure. He gave a tug on Jack's sleeve as he pointed to the figure, directing Jack's attention to them.

"I see them, Sandy." Jack replied, before moving closer to where the Guardian of Wonder was sitting at the front of the sleigh. "Hey, North?" He called, getting the Guardian's attention. "We've got incoming company."

North nodded to Jack. "Yes. Tooth and I saw him. She is going to greet while I find place to land, which I think I have found. Now, hold on and fasten seat belts1"

Bunny groaned as the sled lurched into a decent. "Again with the bloody seat belts…"

When they landed, Tooth and the newcomer, who turned out to be Q, were already waiting for them. "Is one of you psychic or something?" Q joked, his jacket lightly resting over his shoulders. His wings, while they did not have to remain physical all the time, were still formed, as he had simply not bothered to dissipate them when he'd landed. "I was just coming to speak with you about someone I've recently met who's looking to see you. By the way," He turned to look at Jack, a teasing smirk on his face. "Jack Frost, congratulations on your promotion. Have fun with it, and good luck."

Catching the small joke, Jack let out a chuckle. "Yeah, I plan to."

"Hey, can we speed the chit-chat up a bit, lover-boy?" Bunny asked for the sleigh, having chosen to not get off it because he knew he'd have to get right back in. "We've got someone we're supposed to find."

Q rolled his eyes in response. "If you'd been using those two over-sized strips of fur that you call years, you'd have heard me say that I just met someone who wants to meet you. As in she saw me, and requested to see each of you _by name_." His wings gave an annoyed ruffle before he continued. "Her name's Anja, and as far as I can tell, she's an angel."

"What helped you come to this decision?" North inquired.

"My powers don't work on her." Was the bringer of love's reply. "And she could see me, even though she's above the age where she should have stopped being able to see any of us."

"I think," Jack chimed in, leaning on his staff a bit, a thoughtful expression on his face. "That we just found who we're looking for. Did she say if she had a dad, Q?"

Cupid gave a shrug. "Didn't ask her. Figured I should find you five first so all of that could get taken care of, whatever it is she needs to talk to you about."

North grinned, climbing back into the sleigh. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Bunny let out a groan, sinking further down in his seat. "I hope this flight's shorter than the last one."

"Still haven't gotten over that fear of flying, Bunnymund?" Q teased as he hopped into the sleigh.

"I am not afraid…" Bunny grumbled in response, though he clung to the sides of the sleigh once more as it lifted off, making Jack snicker as he climbed in.

"Here, Q. Catch!" North's words distracted Q from his playful teasing of Bunny as the magical snow globe was tossed to him, the blonde man making sure he caught it. "Is your home, so you can have honors."

Jack gave a small, playful pout as he watched the event. "How come you've never let me use it?"

North laughed. "Alright, we make deal. You get it on return trip to workshop. Fair?"

Pretending to think about it for a moment, Jack grinned. "Fair enough. Deal!"

Sitting next to him, not having left the sleigh when it was on the ground either, Sandy could not help but silently laugh at the teen's antics. It was good that, despite the possible severity, everyone could still keep a bit of youthful humor about them. He cherished it, as something was telling him that the feeling wasn't going to last. A part of him couldn't help but wonder if it was what was left of his connection to Sister Moon, buried under Man in the Moon's power.

"Alright, then." Q tossed the snow globe between his hands a couple times before holding it in front of him. "Lover's Grove." He whispered, then hurled the globe as hard as he could in front of the sleigh. A portal opened up to allow them through, closing behind them, so as to leave the area as quiet as they had found it.

...

"They found her! I thought the reason you sent her down was so that she would be unable to cause any interference!"

Silence.

"Alright. We'll do it your way. After all, you've done a good job of orchestrating this so far, save for a few unavoidable hiccups. But, I suppose that is to be expected when dealing with the Guardians of Childhood, isn't it, Man in the Moon?"

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Ooooohh….. A new, unnamed character, who seems to be in cahoots with Man in the Moon!

Don't worry, you'll find out who he is soon enough. Reviews are much appreciated!


	4. The Task

Sorry about this chapter being late as well! At least it's not as late as the last one?

Not much else to say here. On to the story!

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When they arrived at the Grove, Anja was sitting near a small tower, the only building in the Grove. She looked up when she heard them arrive, standing as North landed the sleigh. "I am glad to see that Q was able to find the five of you so quickly." She spoke, giving a slight bow. "There is something I need to ask of you."

"Does it involve your father?" Jack asked, surprising Anja.

"How did you know?" She all but demanded. "I did not tell Q anything about what I needed to discuss with you!"

"Pitch told us." Was Jack's reply. "He said that you might need help with something involving your father, but he didn't know the specifics as to what."

Anja mused for a bit, trying to recall something. "Pitch…The dark one with the golden eyes?" The Guardians nodded. "He was the one who told me to find the five of you. It was in a dream a few nights ago. Of course, it can be hard searching for people that many humans do not believe in."

"So," North spoke up, the large man easily grabbing everyone's attention with his deep voice. "What is problem you need to discuss with us? I am assuming it is problem." The other four Guardians, as well as Q, turned their focus to Anja, who let out a sigh.

"I'm sure that Q told you that I am an angel, which makes my father one as well." Nods followed her statement. "What I didn't tell him is that my father and I were exiled. We are fallen. My father brutally killed another angel. I had tried to tell Man in the Moon that he had been acting strangely for the few months beforehand, but when my father tried, I was accused of not telling anyone, so I was banished as well." She shook her head a bit. "Something is going on with Man in the Moon. I'd tried to tell him every night, but he always seemed to be ignoring me. He's planning something, and I think it involves my father."

This time, it was Bunnymund who spoke up. "What makes you so sure of that? He could just have it out for you and your old man."

Anja shot the Easter Bunny a glare. "My father was smiling when we were sentenced to be exiled. Do you know what happens to angels who are exiled?" When they all shook their heads in a negative response, she continued. "Normally, yes, angels do have wings. When an angel chooses to willingly leave our realm to come here, they have vivid tattoos where their wings would be. Those of us who are exiled, however…"

She pulled off her jacket and turned. The halter top she wore underneath did little to conceal a pair of large, angry scars on her back between her shoulder blades. "The only reminders we have of what we once were are a limited use of our old power, and the scars from where our wings were ripped off. Why would he be happy about that happening? If he'd only wanted to leave, he could have just left, and not have dragged me into all of this."

"Maybe there was another reason for the way he did it." Tooth thought out loud. "Is it normal for family members to be exiled together?"

"If they knew what was the offender was doing, or going to do, and didn't try to stop them or alert anyone else to what was occurring." Anja replied.

"And you'd been trying to tell Man in the Moon about how your father was acting." Tooth confirmed. Then, a question came to her. "Did you tell anyone else your suspicions?"

Anja thought for a moment, trying to remember. "Only one. A friend of mine. I couldn't tell anyone else because…" She paused for a moment as the memory hit her, her eyes widening in realization. "Because she was killed by father the very next day!" Slowly, the pieces seemed to be falling into place right before her eyes. "Father killed her so she couldn't tell anyone, and Man in the Moon banished me because I already knew something was wrong. If I'd been allowed to stay back home, I would have told others of my suspicions, and he would have no way to silence them." The very fact that she had been turned into a pawn in whatever plan Man in the Moon and her father had put together irked her, but she knew that she would not be a pawn any longer. Still, knowing that her telling her friend about her father was likely the cause of her friend's death also saddened her, and she had to wonder what her father would have done if she hadn't told anyone other than Man in the Moon.

North looked like he was about to say something to Anja, however, Sandy took the opportunity of the break in the conversation to jump up and down a bit, his hand waving as he attempted to get their attention.

"What is it, Sandy?" The Guardian of Wonder asked, guessing that it had to be important with how the Dream Guardian was acting.

A golden icon of a bunny, followed by eggs, formed over Sandy's head. A small wink was given to the other Guardians, as he hoped they remembered what had been learned earlier.

North was the first to get it.

"Oh! Yes!" He turned to Bunny. "We have promise to keep, remember? We said we would help with eggs, since there are so many to do this year. We need lots of them for Easter!" Not wanting to give them a chance to question him, he kept talking, waiting for them to catch on. "So, I know Tooth and Sandy have work to do, so I will take them back to workshop in sleigh, so they can leave to do nightly work, then meet the rest of you in the Warren. Bunny can take you through the _underground_ tunnels." He put a bit of emphasis on the word "underground," giving a small smile when he saw Jack's, Tooth's, and Bunny's faces light up in understanding and recognition. Q and Anja both appeared to still be lost, which was expected.

"I don't get what decorating eggs has to do with what's going on right now." Anja commented with a frown.

Bunny reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, it'll all be made clear in a bit. What d'ya say we get a move-on while North gets Tooth and Sandy to where they need to be?" He gave her a small wink, then turned to Q. "You gonna come as well, mate?" He asked, though his voice was a bit more even-toned than when he'd spoken to Anja.

"Nah, I've got enough to do here." Q replied, shaking his head. "But, I do have something I want to ask you before you leave."

Jack was curious as to what Q wanted to ask Bunny, knowing the history those two had. It seemed, however, that the Guardian of Hope did not want to give any of them a chance to find out.

"Alright. North, you'd better get moving so that Sandy and Tooth can get started on their work for tonight. We'll see you at the Warren." The rabbit then turned to Jack and Anja. "I'll be along in a second." Before they could protest, he tapped his foot on the ground to open a tunnel beneath the two of them. Once they were on their way to the Warren, and North had left with Tooth and Sandy, Bunny turned to face Cupid.

"Alright, what is it? If you're worried about another 'Valentine's Easter' occurring again, then save your breath. I'm taking the time to make extra this year because of what went down last year.'

Q shook his head with a small chuckle. "While it puts my concern about that to rest, my question has nothing to do with the holidays." A smirk formed on his face. "Well, at least not yours. You could say that it has something to do with mine."

Bunny snorted. "Just spill it already!" He snapped, growing impatient, which made Q laugh."

"Have you gathered up the courage to say anything to her yet?"

The question blindsided the Easter Bunny completely, making him blink in surprise a few times. As he stumbled over his words in an attempt to form some resemblance of a reply, his face began to flush red under his fur. "None of your bleeding business" He finally snapped back as he regained some of his composure. "I don't even know what you're talking about!" Not wanting to give Cupid the chance to say anything more, Bunny jumped down the still-open tunnel. It closed immediately behind him, leaving only a small flower to show that it had ever been there.

Q could not help but chuckle at Bunny's outburst and retreat. "I'm sure you do know what I'm talking about." He spoke out loud. "And at this rate, it's very tempting to give you a bit of a push. After all…" He walked over to where a small feather was laying on the floor, picking it up and examining it. "She feels the same way about you."

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Oooooh. Whatever could Q be talking about? Gonna have to wait and see. *snicker snicker* Of course, if you want to guess, you're more than welcome to.

Reviews are appreciated, but not demanded.


	5. The Prisons

Yet another chapter! This time, it's on time as well! Time to take a little detour from the main story to check on some other characters.

Edit: Thank you, Nagasha, for pointing out a small error in the story. Apparently, very much dislikes my method of switching between scenes and points of view. *shakes fist at site* You had _one_ job!

This has been remedied throughout the story, and I will make sure that it remains fixed, to avoid the confusion.

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As he opened his eyes, the same sight that waited to greet him was there, just as it always was. It was an oppressing, suffocating darkness, and were it not for the fact that it had a slight bit of texture hidden within it, he would have wondered if he was actually still alive, in a sense. It felt like a cave, but he couldn't be sure. After the Nightmares had dragged him down into his lair, everything had gone black, and stayed that way ever since. He'd only recently found an escape, though minor, from his prison, and it wasn't easy to effectively do for long periods of time. In fact, he'd tried it again a couple minutes ago, though the familiar sight coupled with the pounding ache in his head where he'd hit himself told him that he had failed.

'I really need to find a better way other than knocking myself out…' He thought. Still, it had been worth a shot, especially with the madness beginning to return.

It was Man in the Moon's way of manipulating him, or at least trying to. Of course, it had been working, to a degree, otherwise none of the events from his previous encounters with the Guardians would have happened.

Then again, having the sights and sounds of one's wife and child being brutally tortured and tormented would drive anybody insane after a time. He had his moments of sanity, and clung to them whenever they arrived like a freezing man would cling to a warm blanket.

As his insanity began to rise up to swallow them, he did his best to fight it off. He needed to know what they were planning next, so that he could warn the Guardians.

It was no use.

He had to fight it.

The screams were getting louder.

Who knew what they would plan.

It was suffocating him.

Voices…speaking, talking…

…

It had him once more.

...

"Finally. Stubborn old fool." A figure grunted, moving away from the sealed cave. He could hear the boogeyman inside, fully within the grips of his insanity. "I don't know what you were thinking when you made him the Nightmare King. He's done a poor job with the Guardians.

"Though, I have to admit, he did have the start of a good idea, even if he wasn't willing to take it all the way. But, don't worry. I can show you how to really break the Guardians, and I know just where to start…"

...

He had lost count of the number of times he'd apologized to them, for all that it mattered. They were dead, and it was because he had been unable to save them. He knew now, courtesy of his occasional visitor, that a number of the losses were merely from a flawed practice that had improved far beyond what he could have ever hoped to achieve.

Had he been a doctor of the current age, he would have been able to give people new limbs and organs, treating them with better equipment than leaches and potentially poisonous medication. Mental sickness was not something caused by demons, nor was it cured by making holes in the person's skull. There were a number of treatments that worked that were available to the person.

While the news had done little to comfort him, it did manage to bring a small smile to his face every now and again, especially when he heard of another young life saved by the modern world's miracle workers.

Idly, he wondered what the news would be when his visitor next came. Something seemed to be stirring up quite a bit of commotion. He hoped he wasn't about to be dragged into a legend that he had found himself an unwilling part of.

The Four Horsemen. While he had no horse, the name he had been granted was enough to make him worry and wonder.

Plague.

His old name hardly seemed to matter, as that life had ended. His new name always filled him with dread, though, and with what he did know of Man in the Moon, it was easy to believe that the powerful spirit just might force him and the other three, if Famine had been created, to carry out the legend.

From his self-imposed imprisonment, however, he could only wait and see, and pray for the best.

...

Her brother was getting restless. It brought a small smile to her face. His restlessness meant that his plans were not moving exactly the way he wanted them to. The fact that he had recruited a violent, twisted fallen angel, however, made her worry. She had intended for the Guardians of Childhood to be powerful enough to defend the children, but giving them the power to defeat an angel had been beyond her when she had appointed Sandman as the first Guardian.

A sound dragged her attention away from her thoughts. It was her only friend out here, as well as her eyes and ears on the other side of the moon, Elixir the Moon Rabbit. "Have you learned anything new, my friend?" She asked, stepping closer.

Elixir nodded. "The Guardians have met with Jizrael's daughter, Anja. She wishes to help them fight, but I do not think that she is fully aware, or prepared for, what that will require of her. Neither myself nor your brother will be able to see much for a time, though. At least not from here. They've moved to Aster's Warren, and the, ahem, odd way they were talking about it makes me suspect that someone told them. It sounds like your brother has less control over Pitch Black than he would like to have.

Luna gave a sad nod, looking down a bit. "Perhaps, if they succeed in stopping my brother, I will make things right with him. He deserves more, but it will be all I can give him."

Elixir placed a paw under Luna's chin, lifting her head a bit. "Not 'if,' Sister Moon. 'When' they stop your brother's plans."

Her smile spread a bit. "You're right. 'When.'"

* * *

And introducing Plague, Sister Moon, and Elixir! Well, two were mentioned before in the story, but now you really get to meet them. As for Elixir, he comes from the stories of the rabbit in the moon. His name is from the stories of the rabbit that makes medicine in the moon.

As always, read and review, if you could. Thank you!


	6. The Commitment

I'm sorry about the tardiness once more! Work sapped a lot of my energy, which made it hard to actually get myself to type this chapter. I will try to keep this from occurring too often...

* * *

Bunny could not help but let out a small chuckle at the look of awe and wonder on Anja's face as she looked around the Warren. "I thought it was supposed to be the dead of winter…" She commented. "But, here is like the early spring!"

"Of course it is!" Bunny laughed. "Where did you expect the Easter Bunny to live; in some dark, cramped hole in the ground? This is the Warren. We're safe down here. Man in the Moon can't see us."

Anja blinked in surprise, then looked up. "This is underground? But, then how is there light?"

"Old magic." Came Bunny's reply as he sat down to wait for North. "It's what keeps it in a state of perpetual spring as well. A couple of the other Spirits have speculated that it's because of a unicorn. If it is, I wouldn't know. Never seen one here, or anywhere else. Anyways, once North gets here we'll be able to continue our earlier conversation, though with a lot more safety than up there."

As if summoned by magic, North's snow globe portal opened within the Warren, allowing the large Guardian to enter. "Miss me?" He laughed, making Bunny roll his eyes. "Okay, okay." North calmed down a bit, his voice turning slightly serious. "Enough with jokes. Now, we need to figure out way to stop Man in Moon from carrying out his crazy plan that we do not know details of. Biggest worry right now is fallen angel. We know humans can interact with angels here, as well as other way around. This means angels can hurt humans. We must think of way to beat angel, and quickly. He could start hurting the children, which would hurt us."

"So," Jack stated, putting his thoughts into the conversation. "We find this guy fast, and beat him down like we did with Pitch last year. Simple as that."

"Not quite that simple, Herald of Winter."

The three Guardians, plus Anja, all jumped, the ones who were seated standing up, all of them looking around for the source of the voice.

"Down a little."

Following the given directions, they found the source of the voice; a small, translucent, white rabbit.

"Alright, anyone else lost?" Jack asked, looking to North, Bunny, and Anja.

"Don't worry, Jack Frost." The rabbit spoke, holding up a paw. "I am not as well-known these days as I used to be. My name is Elixir. I am the Moon Rabbit, and attendant to Lady Luna. I have been watching over all of you for her."

Bunny's ears flattened a bit. "Mind explaining how you managed to get into the Warren?" He growled.

Elixir shook one of his paws at Bunny, much like he was wagging a finger back and forth. "Temper, Aster. Lady Luna made this place. She is giving me enough access to be able to speak with you. Now, in regards to Jizrael, there is only one of you who can truly defeat him so that he is no longer a threat." His gaze settled on Anja, prompting the others to look at her.

"Me?" She asked with surprise and nervousness.

The Moon Rabbit nodded. "The only beings on the mortal plane capable of killing an angel are other angels, and you are the only one of them in this plane who knows what your father has done, as well as the danger that he poses to humans."

"But," She started. "What if we tell the other angels here-"

"Do you think they will listen to you, given your current status?" Elixir asked, raising a furred eyebrow. "You would be lucky if some of them didn't kill you. Man in the Moon did not just banish you like that in order to keep you from getting help in the angelic plane. He also did so to destroy your credibility here. You should know that there are plenty of angels who leave the home plane in order to hunt down those who have been exiled. I am quite sure that he and Jizrael hoped that you would end up seeking out one of those angels. It would mean that you would no longer be an obstacle in their plans, and that the Guardians would have barely a chance to stop them." His tone was firm, and even slightly condescending, as he drove the point home.

Anja was quiet, looking down at the ground. There was nothing that she could say to validly argue with Elixir's point, and she knew it. She simply hadn't wanted to face what he had spoken about.

"Don't you think that was a little bit harsh?" Jack asked as he stepped towards Elixir, a slight edge to his voice. "Especially is we're asking for her help in killing her own father?"

Elixir's eyes narrowed, and his projected image floated up to meet Jack's eyes. "Do you think we have the luxury to take it easy on everyone? Man in the Moon wants to use Jizrael to open a rift to the demonic plane, unleashing its inhabitants onto the mortal plane. Right now, he has neither the knowledge nor the power to, but the clock is still ticking, and we don't know how long we have until he finds out just what he does need!" His voice raised as he spoke, increasing in volume until he was nearly yelling the last words out.

North stepped forward, placing a hand on Jack's shoulder once Elixir was finished. "Elixir has point, Jack. This is not like when we made you Guardian and you had to learn as we fought Pitch. This is far more than a fight over belief and fear. This is a fight for everything." The Russian then turned to face Elixir. "But, you could do yourself favor and pull stick partway out of ass. We know what we must do, now."

Elixir merely crossed his forepaws and gave a snort before disappearing.

Bunny shook his head once the Moon Rabbit had left. "Somebody needs to lighten up and live a little." He commented, making Jack snort in a partially-failed attempt to stifle a laugh. "What? What's so funny, Frostbite?"

Jack grinned. "Oh, just finding it ironic that the pot is calling the kettle black."

As the two of them tossed playful insults back and forth, which slowly degraded into playful wrestling, Anja moved closer to North, watching them skeptically. "They look like they're trying to kill each other. "She commented. "Are you sure it's safe to let them keep going like this?"

Her worry made the Guardian of Wonder laugh a little. "Do not worry. This is normal for them. They are like brothers. Just give them a little bit of time, and they will settle down. Now, while they play game, I have something very important to discuss with you. Come, sit." He motioned to a spot on the ground across from him as he sat down, waiting for her to do the same before he continued. "Now, we will be training you to be fighter. While you are training, I think it best if you stay here. Right now, is safest place for you, away from Man in Moon's eyes.

"But," He held up a finger, his eyes locking onto hers. "It will all be in vain if you do not have will to help us. I know we are asking much of you, but there is much at stake. You can say no, and we will do best we can. We can give you promise to train you to be the best we can make you, but if you don't promise to try with everything you have when the time comes, then it will all be for nothing. Can you promise us that you will at least try?"

Anja looked down for a bit as she thought, her eyes closing. For a few minutes she was like this, the sounds of Jack and Bunny's fighting dying as it wound down. North remained where he was the whole time, waiting to hear her answer. He was willing to wait as long as he could, but he knew they would need an answer from her before they began any training.

Her eyes suddenly snapped open when she reached her decision. "I still don't like this, but…" She took in a deep breath, and refocused, her eyes showing hidden determination. "If I don't help, who will? What do you need me to do?"

* * *

As always, reviews are nice, but not demanded. Of course, I'd really like to know what some of you think of this story. Like it? Love it? Hate it?


	7. The Training

And have an early-morning update! Well, Early morning for me. Time for another little bit of story-telling!

**Nagasha:** I'm glad you like it. I try to put in humor where I can.

* * *

As the days passed, it was not difficult for Anja to see that there were decent differences in the demeanor of her teachers.

Bunny was the toughest out of them, which she supposed stemmed from how he'd been when he'd first started his work as the Easter Bunny, before he'd been named the Guardian of Hope.

Still, whenever he thought she wasn't looking, she would see some of his softer side come out, even if it wasn't often around her, it still made her smile a bit.

There were a couple times where he had to cut their sessions short due to his work in preparation for Easter. She offered to help each time he did so, but he always turned her down, stating that she could use the time to rest or practice.

In the beginning with it all, she was irritated upon seeing how Bunny treated her a little bit like a child. As time went on, however, she began to understand that, to them, she was a child. Even Jack, who was the youngest of the Guardians, was older than her, though it was by very much. Those small facts pushed her in her training, anticipating the day they would fully recognize her as an equal.

Jack, in stark contrast to Bunny, was laid back, treating every session like a game. Though, it was hard to think of too much else coming from the Guardian of Fun. Plus, she couldn't argue too much about it, as she was still learning a lot from him, which surprised her. Then again, Jack Frost seemed to be filled with more surprises than he knew what to do with.

Just like Tooth and Sandy, Jack's task of bringing the snow and ice was a year-round effort, though it wasn't quite as intense as Sandy or Tooth's jobs. Still, it took him away from the Warren quite a bit, but he was always sure to make up for it when he returned.

Q, despite having his own holiday to prepare for, managed to drop in every couple days, much to Bunny's dismay. There was a standing, non-spoken agreement that they would simply stay out of each other's way. It had been working so far.

When he did come over, Q would teach her how to shoot. That was when she learned that, just like the Guardians, Q knew how to fight. He had two quivers that he kept on him. One of them contained normal, weaponized bolts, some modified to explode. The other was filled with his "love-bolts," like the one that had caused their meeting when he'd shot her with it. Angels, he explained, were immune to the effects of the bolts, though he wasn't sure how or why. Spirits, on the other hand, seemed to have varied reactions. It was this reason that kept him from ever trying to use the bolts on another Spirit, though she almost didn't catch it when he muttered something about making an exception. When she asked him about it, he'd laughed it off and changed the subject. Still, it was hard not to notice the looks he shot at Bunnymund when the rabbit's back was turned.

North seemed to be the teacher that she spent the most time with, as he didn't have too much to do with his holiday being nearly eleven months off. Of course, that didn't mean that he completely slacked off and did nothing in regards to his workshop. He just didn't have to be there quite as much, sometimes bringing his work with him to the Warren when he was developing a new toy idea.

It worked for her, because North was the most balanced, if sometimes overly enthusiastic, one. Whenever he taught her something, he would critique her each time she did it, helping her make corrections until she got it right.

Then, there were Sandy and Tooth. While Sandy was a fighter, it wasn't in a way that he could really teach Anja to do, as she couldn't manifest weapons. Tooth, on the other hand, was not necessarily a fighter, though she did know the basics of fighting.

Instead, the two of them taught Anja some of the lore that Pitch had passed to Sandy from Plague through scattered dreams. The entire group listened to these stories, as they held the true story of the most ancient Spirits of the world.

The first of them had been Mother Earth and Father Sea. They'd had three children; Brother Sun, Sister Moon, and Man in the Moon. That was also when some of the first Spirits had been made, the oldest of whom was called Grandfather Time, or the Timekeeper, associated with the current holiday of New Year's.

What exactly had caused Man in the Moon to turn on his family was unknown, but it happened. Almost immediately after Luna had created Sandy and made him the First Guardian, Manny took over, trapping her on the dark side of the moon and stopping the moon's rotation so that she would be unable to either draw on her brother's power or send help down to Earth. Next, he brought life to a Spirit named Poseidon, who took over control of the oceans from Father Sea. He could not, however, destroy the elder Spirit, much like how he could not destroy his sister, no matter how much he tried. So, instead Manny imprisoned Father Sea deep within a trench.

Without Father Sea next to her, Mother Earth fell into a deep slumber; one that she would not easily awake from.

From there, Man in the Moon set about creating destructive Spirits such as Plague and Pitch, trying to find a way to tear the veil between the demon plane and the mortal plane. To cover his actions from the current Guardian, Sandman, he made protective Spirits as well, beginning what his sister had intended to do and creating the Guardians of Childhood.

However, he found the destructive Spirits to be very lacking in the beginning. Death, one of the first, had not reveled in the reaping of souls and the causing of people dying as much as Manny had hoped. Instead, he exerted the same self-control he'd had as a hunter, killing only when it was needed and directed, and only as much as was allowed by the situation.

War, or Ares, was much the same. When he had created Ares, Manny had infused him with all the traits of war, hoping to make him long for the carnage and death. What he had overlooked were the other traits associated with war, including lesser, non-lethal battles. Instead of a full-out Spirit of war, Ares had become a Spirit of combat.

Frustrated, Manny decided to go a different route when he created Plague and Pitch; he created a madness within them. The two of them were constantly haunted by those who had been connected to them somehow in life. Plague was haunted by the people he could not save during his life as a doctor, and Pitch by the eternal torment of his wife and child.

In the end, however, even that failed. Plague, fearing what he would become, managed to seal himself away, while Pitch decided to fight the madness.

"That's why he's using my father." Anja commented once Sandy and Tooth were done with that section of the story. "My father is already dark-minded. He doesn't need a madness to force him to do anything. It's all willing…" Turning quiet after her realization, she stood, walking away from the group.

Jack stood to follow after her, but North put a hand on his shoulder. "Let her. She needs some time alone. Why don't I take you, Sandy and Tooth back? It's late, and there is still work to be done." He looked over to Bunny as Sandy and Tooth stood. "We will be back tomorrow. Make sure you give her some space. She is going through tough time."

Bunnymund nodded, glancing over at the young angel. "I'll keep and eye on her from here. This ain't gonna get any easier for her."

"Like Elixir said, we don't have liberty to take this easy." North replied. "But, we can do what we can to help her through the challenges ahead." With a smile, North clapped his hand on Bunny's shoulder, making the tall rabbit smile a bit. "Yeah. You're right." He replied. "Now, best be going before Sandy and Tooth fall too far behind. Don't worry. I've got it all covered here."

As they left, Bunny stole a quick glance at the group, looking away before anyone could spot him. Right after he turned away, however, Tooth turned her head slightly to look back at him.

* * *

As always, Read and Review, please? :3


	8. The Secret

I am so sorry for how late this chapter is! D8 Life decided to come by and throttle me for a while. I'm going to be doing my best to be staying on track with this once more, though there is still the chance that I will miss an update at times.

The good news is the rough drafts have surpassed the halfway mark in the story. Yay!

**Nagasha**: I recently read the books, after I'd written much of this story. There are some differences, which I do like. I wasn't going for full-out book cannon.

As for Death, well, you'll get to see more of him soon enough. :D I think you'll like him.

* * *

Anja rolled over with a sigh, her eyes opening. It seemed that sleep was not going to easily come to her that night. Another sigh escaping her, she stood, deciding to walk around for a bit and see if that helped at all.

The light had gone down a bit in the Warren, more of a courtesy for her than a normal occurrence. As it turned out, the Guardians didn't need sleep as much as she would have thought. They could still benefit from proper rest every night, but it was also possible for them to go without for periods of time.

The sound of someone speaking caught her attention, and she followed the noise. Being that the Warren was a bit of a small place, it didn't take her long.

Bunny was standing in front of a small tree, one no taller than he was, speaking to it as though it were a person, and getting flushed as he did so. He would begin to say something, then backtrack and try to find another way to say it.

"Amusing, isn't it?" Q's voice nearly made her jump out of her skin, the Spirit laughing quietly. "I've been telling him for nearly a century that he needed to stop dancing around his feelings and just tell her how he felt."

Anja tilted her head in confusion. "What do you mean?" She whispered. "Tell who?"

Q wanted to laugh again, as much as he knew that he was the only one, outside of the two involved, who even slightly knew what was going on. "Bunny's got an adorable crush on Tooth, but she doesn't know about it. She has a crush on him, but he doesn't know about it. To top it all off, neither of them have been able to gather up the courage to actually say anything to the other."

"So, that's what you meant when you were talking about wanting to make an exception." She commented as the realization dawned on her, making Cupid give a nod.

"It's been driving me near-insane watching the way they act around each other." He motioned for her to follow him away from where Bunny was, leaving the rabbit alone once more. "Of course," He continued. "Had I known that a potential major disaster would be what it took to get him this far, I might have tried my approach a bit differently."

"Why is it taking him so long to say anything?" She asked raising an eyebrow. "I mean, I can see Tooth being a bit shy on saying anything, but what about him?"

Q chuckled. "He's the 'big, strong, tough Easter Bunny.' Master of martial arts and all that jazz. It's been a couple centuries since he's been all cute, fluffy, and adorable. Ask him to go kick someone's ass into next week, and he has no problems doing so. Tell him to say three words to the woman he's been harboring feelings for, and he will trip over his own tongue just trying to give an excuse as to why he shouldn't."

Anja giggled a bit. "If Jack knew, he'd probably tease Bunny until he gave in and talked to Tooth."

"And that," the Valentine Spirit added sternly. "Is why we aren't going to tell anyone. Bunny may be able to take teasing to a point, but there's a chance that teasing may have the opposite effect that Jack would be going for. It's actually been a few decades since I've said anything to Bunny about his crush, and I have not once spoken to Tooth about it. My job is to help love grow, not dash it against the rocks. So, I need you to keep it a secret. Bunny will be taking the steps to actually move this beyond a seemingly-one-sided crush, even if I have to shove him a bit to get him to do so. But, I also know how to handle these kinds of situations. Well, most of the time. Angels tend to catch me a bit off-guard, with their immunity to my bolts and how hard it is to distinguish them from humans. Like you did."

Anja looked at him with a slightly raised eyebrow. "I've been meaning to ask you about that." She replied. "Why were you trying to use your bolts on me?"

Q smiled in response. "Someone's got a crush on you. I hadn't known you were an angel, so I was going to just handle the situation like I usually do; hit you with one of my bolts to kind of open your eyes and mine to a possible relationship with him."

"Oh." The silence between them spanned a short couple minutes before she spoke again. "Who is he?"

The bringer of love shook his head. "There's more to worry about right now, but I do promise that once this is all over, I'll take you to meet him. I will say, he's of the type who will all but faint if the person they're secretly crushing on tries to talk to them. In fact, think almost of how Bunny was acting back there. The poor guy just won't know what to do."

The thought and mental image made Anja quietly laugh a bit. "I'd be willing to speak with him, and at least try to get to know him."

"Like I said; I can help you with that." Q nodded. "But, for now, you need to rest. I'll be stopping by again tomorrow afternoon. And don't forget; no talking to anyone about Bunny and Tooth"

"I won't." She watched as Q pulled out North's snow globe, which explained how he'd gotten into the Warren, and opened a portal back to the workshop.

Once Q had left, Anja spared a glance to where Bunny was in thought. After a moment, she began walking over there, stopping where she'd been standing to watch earlier. He was still by the tree, but was no longer speaking to it. Instead, he was leaned against the tree, apparently in thought.

"You know," She started, making the Easter Bunny jump a bit in surprise. "Flowers and gifts usually seem to be a good start. Not that I really think that you might need advice on anything that involves those things, or anything like that." She gave him a bit of a knowing wink, in an attempt to help him get the hint. "Well, I was up for a bit because I couldn't sleep, but I think that the insomnia has passed. Good luck with what you're doing."

Without giving him time to debate, argue, or question, Anja left, returning to her sleeping area.

The next morning, she woke up early so that she would be warmed up and ready to go when Jack showed up. He'd said that he had an idea of a prank to pull on Bunny that would still help with her learning how to effectively fight.

As the first few hours of the day passed by without any sign of the winter Spirit, however, Anja began to grow concerned.

"Shouldn't Jack have been here by now?"The former angel asked Bunny, who gave a small shrug.

"Frostbite's usually late almost half the time." The Guardian of Hope replied. "He prolly got caught up making a blizzard, or visiting Jamie."

Interrupting their conversation, North's portal formed in the Warren, with North, Tooth, Sandy, and a girl Anja did not recognize, stepping through.

"What's the rush?" Bunny asked, picking up on a sense of urgency from his fellow Guardians.

"He's taken Jack!"

* * *

Oooohhhh... Cliffhanger!

Again, I'm sorry for the late update. I will be trying to get back on schedule. As always, R&R if you could. I do like getting feedback on my writings.


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